Feature

Hangout Hotspots:
Mini-Golf in Bangladesh

Nishat Tasneem and Alexis Mosquera

IDEAL hangout spots are a rarity in Dhaka. Almost every hangout spot is a place where people come to eat. Typically five groups of people go out to socialize: (a) dating couples, (b) budding families with kids, (c) group of female friends, (d) group of male friends, and (e) group of friends with both males and females. Almost all of us have been in each one of the above situations at one time or other. And, almost always we have found ourselves in restaurants hanging out with friends.

New restaurants- with different cuisines- routinely sprout through out in Dhaka. However, hangout spots to engage in group activities other than eating remain very limited. I wrote 'very limited' as opposed to 'nonexistent' because bowling alleys and pool halls do offer options to hangout with friends. These hotspots tend to attract all-male groups and the high testosterone level buzzing in the air makes the environment rather unpleasant for dating couples, families with kids, and all-female groups.

Where should dating couples, families with kids, all-female groups, and to some extent, mixed groups go if they want to enjoy one-another's company? If you are tired of eating out whenever you hangout with friends, there is good news in the horizon. Finally, there is a hangout hotspot in Uttara (Sector 13) that offers something fresh: mini-golf! The aim of this brand new hangout hotspot, called Mini-Golf Greens, is to “redefine adda with more than just food.”

Mini-golf is a popular family-oriented hotspot in the U.S., most European countries, and Australia. Having had the opportunity to play in various mini-golf courses, we found it refreshing to see a beautiful mini-golf course in Dhaka. Mini-Golf Greens is located on the rooftop of 10 Gausul Azam Avenue (atop the National Ideal School building). The natural stones and beautiful plants are expertly landscaped over the artificial turf. By being high up from the street level and by offering a spectacularly landscaped rooftop, this hangout hotspot offers a transforming experience that is sure to please.

Unlike the real game of golf, playing mini-golf does not require much expertise. Mini-golf clubs (or bats) are called putters. Slow, steady, and delicate hitting usually makes one a good player in the game. The course gets gradually difficult with the completion of each hole. Holes 1-3 are straightforward holes with natural stone obstacles. Hole 4 throws in an additional layer of challenge with its unique design. Hole 5 has several natural stones in a pattern than makes it more challenging than Holes 1-3. Hole 6 is perhaps the most interesting; it has a little lit-up pool and a very cute bridge over it. The options are either to take the risky approach of passing the ball over the bridge or take the longer and safer route around the water. Hole 7 throws in a dilemma too whether to take the right path or the left one. Hole 8 has undulations that make for a very challenging par 3. As can be expected, the most challenging one is the last hole, where the slightest of mistakes can change the outcome of the game.

For a group of four or five friends, a round of mini-golf can take anywhere from 45 minutes to an hour. The socializing that takes place while playing mini-golf is simply amazing.

No wonder corporate businessmen prefer golf when they want to talk business. I would definitely prefer mini-golf over typical restaurants when I want to hangout with friends. Speaking of restaurants, there is a café that the mini-golf course encircles in a horseshoe pattern. After a round of mini-golf, what's better than to relax with friends over light refreshments like sandwiches and salads, delicious mocktails (It's a cocktail which doesn't contain alcohol. Here I recommend the Bay of Bengal Breeze), and, my favorite, ice creams (from Movenpick). The prices are also quite reasonable. Mini-golf ticket is TK 100 per person to play the 9 hole course (ticket includes putter and golf ball rental). The facility is also available for reservation for parties.

Hanging out with friends at the Mini-Golf Greens Garden Café (M3GC in short) at Uttara (Sector 13) was indeed a refreshing treat. It transports you from the din and bustles of the street level to an idyllic urban setting. The operating hours of 4 pm to 10 pm on weekdays and 10 am to 10 pm on weekends allow for everyone to come and enjoy this amazing hangout hotspot. After a fun-filled round of mini-golf, lounging at the café with friends, you might still be technically on the rooftop of just another Uttara building, but you would feel that you have found a little paradise right inside our noisy city.

We had a nice chat with Nafis Rahman, the CEO of NR Enterprise, the company that owns Mini-Golf Greens. After completing his undergrad from US, Nafis has come back to Bangladesh to set up the company. Nafis plans to build quality hangout hotspots in other parts of the city in the near future. For more information, you can visit their website at http://minigolf.intuitwebsites.com/. Their phone number is 0172 001 5690 and 02-8955288.